


Of Snakes and Crows

by Crowsims



Series: A Crow Flies in Sunnydale [4]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV), The Crow - All Media Types
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-11
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-10-26 02:34:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17737379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crowsims/pseuds/Crowsims
Summary: A string of murders leads Carmen to face off with a dangerous threat.





	Of Snakes and Crows

“How many does that make now?” Buffy asked, looking over the newspaper on the table, specifically at the headline that read ‘Clownface Killer Strikes Again’.

 

Bit of a cartoony title, don’t ya think?

 

“Eight in the past week,” Giles answered.

 

“All killed in the same gruesome manner, found at the same location and all with the same cuts to the face,” Wesley added pointedly, glaring up at me as I stayed perched on the railing in the library.

 

“Interesting huh?” Cordelia added in her stuck up manner.

 

“Why are they here?” Faith asked curiously from beside Buffy.

 

“We ask the same question everyday,” Willow replied, earning a glare from Cordelia and a laugh and high five from Faith. Giles took off his glasses and cleaned them as he gave Willow an amused look and wink before looking up to me.

 

“So,” I drew out, hopping down and landing beside Wes and scaring him right in to Cordelia, “We have eight young women brutally stabbed and murdered in the past week from all around town. All the bodies were found in the cemetery propped up beside my headstone. And to add insult to injury, the victims’ faces have been cut to look like the Crow. Did I miss the point you were trying to make, Wesley?”

 

“Spot on,” he answered regaining some courage.

 

“Oh wait I did miss one. You think I’m the murderer.”

 

“Everything about the killings does seem to point to you,” Cordelia defended Wesley as she placed a hand on his shoulder as a sign of support.

 

A loud resounding bang filled the room as Buffy slammed her fist on to the table. It must be made of strong English Oak to hold up to an angry Slayer as she shot up and stared daggers at Wesley and Cordelia. They just stood there, either out of fear or stupidity.

 

“I’ve had enough of this,” she declared in a strong angry tone, “Carmen was with me when the first three that were killed. At the Bronze when the other four were and on patrol with Faith for the last one. She is not the killer.”

 

“As her girlfriend of course you’d defend her,” Cordelia countered. Faith’s hand shot out just in time to catch hold of Buffy’s wrist before she could even take a step towards Cordy.

 

“Okay show of hands, who here thinks Carmen is the killer?” Willow asked, standing up and raising her hand above her head.

 

Oz and Xander, the silent spectators, raised their hands and grinned at me. Faith spared a glance at Buffy to make sure she was okay then let go and raised both her hands childishly. Buffy smiled warmly at me as she also raised both her hands. Even Giles joined in the juvenile, but much appreciated, show of support and raised his hand. They were outnumbered and overruled. Wesley, sensing this, simply nodded his head then left with a shocked and irritated Cordelia right on his heels.

 

“Thank you everyone,” I said warmly, turning to smile at them.

 

“We got your back, C,” Faith replied, giving me her dimple smile.

 

“Always,” Buffy added as she came up and wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me down in to a warm loving kiss. Even as I was returning the kiss, my mind couldn’t stop thinking about what was going on.

 

Young women with black hair and dark brown eyes like mine were being murdered in the same fashion, repeated stabs to the back before having their throats slit from ear to ear. Then they were carried off and propped up in front of my grave. That last part got the police on my ass for the first three bodies. But after my alibi was thoroughly vetted, they cleared me. Now they think it’s some sicko either fixated on me or someone who found a comfortable spot to dump the bodies. I knew it was the former. Whoever it is that is killing these women…they’ve been cutting the Crow mask that my face becomes when I’m in that state in to the victim’s faces after death.

 

They know who and what I am and are trying to get under my skin. And they’ve succeeded.

 

“We’ll find whoever or whatever it is responsible and we’ll stop them. I promise you sweetie,” Buffy said softly as she pulled away.

 

“I know,” I replied, placing one last kiss to her lips before she released me and went back to her seat, “Now, in order to find this guy…I need to see the body of the latest victim.”

 

“I was wondering when you were going to go there?” Xander asked making a slightly weirded out face.

 

“Does or will your power even work on the dead?” Willow asked curiously.

 

“It gave me an inside look in to Angelus’ idea of fun so yeah,” I answered, casting a quick sorrowful look Buffy’s way. She smiled softly as she sat back down next to Faith.

 

“So who gets to go break in to the morgue with you?” Faith asked excitedly. I laughed and Buffy shook her head as everyone stared at Faith like she just sprouted a second head; one that says stupid and crazy things.

 

“We have a date planned, so we’re going to have to pass,” Willow stated in mock regret.

 

“Mom and I are going out for a mother daughter dinner,” Buffy said with a small smile, “She wants to start a tradition of going out to talk once a week…just the two of us. And tonight there’s something…something I want to ask her.” I arched an eyebrow at the conspiracy shining in her eyes but decided now was not the time to question her.

 

 “Crap, that means I have to patrol,” Faith sighed disappointedly.

 

“Your idea of fun is scary,” Xander teased.

 

“What about you Xandman?” Faith asked with a devilish grin. I turned to look at him expectantly while he glared menacingly at Faith as he mumbled something. “What was that?”

 

“I said I’m also going out to dinner with my mom,” Xander repeated in a clearer tone.

 

“That’s sweet,” Oz said with a smile.

 

Xander just shrunk in to his seat as I turned to Giles. “Guess it’s just the two of us.”

 

“Should be an interesting date,” Giles declared with a smile.

 

“Date?” Buffy repeated in an arctic cold tone.

 

Giles quickly turned to Buffy and did a perfect impression of a fish out of water, the way his mouth was opening and closing with no sound coming out. Everyone scooted away from Buffy, including Faith as she stood up and started walking towards Giles menacingly. I quickly stepped between the two, placing my hands on Buffy’s shoulders and smiling down at her warmly.

 

“You know what he meant babe. Though seeing you all possessive and jealous is kinda hot.” Buffy blushed and looked down as I placed a kiss to her forehead then turned to Giles. “So what time should I be ready and what should I wear for our date?” I asked feeling Buffy’s heated stare on the back of my skull as everyone else started laughing behind me.

 

***

 

Giles and I got in easy to see the body since he lied and said he was a friend of the deceased. He was very convincing about it too. Must be thanks to his Ripper days. We were left alone with the woman on the metal slab, a white sheet covering her body, but leaving her face in view. A face that looked like mine when the Crow takes over.

 

“I’m so sorry,” I breathed sadly.

 

“We do not yet know…” Giles began but stopped when my eyes shot up and glared in to his.

 

“Each woman bares a resemblance to me, Giles, even without the bloody mask cut in to their faces. They are dead because someone wants my attention…someone who wants to stay in the shadows and drive me insane.”

 

“And it appears to be working;” Giles stated calmly, referring to my strained tone and clenched fists, “None of us blame you for this, Carmen. Only you carry guilt over these deaths. Let it go.”

 

I closed my eyes and lowered my head. “I will. When I kill whoever’s done this.”

 

Giles didn’t reply as I opened my eyes and placed my hand on the forehead of woman on the slab. My mind was suddenly flooded with feelings of intense fear and pain as someone chased her down and ran a long knife in to her back. She never saw his face or heard his voice, but the presence she felt was definitely male. He repeatedly stabbed her from behind, wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her upright as life left her body.

 

The last thing she saw before he slit her throat was a snake. A uniquely large Diamondback Rattlesnake by the looks of it, strangely wrapped around a fire escape ladder, starring in to her eyes as its tongue flicked out and its tail shook rapidly.

 

I pulled away and looked up at Giles.

 

“What did you see?” he asked as he came around and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

 

“A snake. She never got a look at her attacker, but from what I gathered he’s male, big and very strong.”

 

“Human or demon?”

 

“I don’t know. The way that snake looked on and the way it acted…there’s definitely something supernatural about him.”

 

“Well, I’ll find out what I can about snakes and…”

 

“Crows,” I finished sternly, “Focus on snakes and what they have to do with Crows. He knows what I am, Giles. There’s got to be a connection there.”

 

“I’ll get started right away,” Giles declared smiling softly at me.

 

“Thanks,” I replied, smiling back at him.

 

The smile quickly fell as my vision shifted to Sis’. She was flying overhead and watching as Buffy and Joyce were running from someone through a park. “Buffy and her mom are in trouble,” I told him quickly before bolting out of the morgue, leaving Giles behind to call for back up.

 

***

 

“Buffy,” I heard Joyce shout as I entered the park to see the back of a man in blue jeans and a faded brown leather jacket, his arm wrapped around her neck.

 

“Hey,” I called out.

 

The man turned and I got a good look at his face. The face of the man that’s been killing innocent woman just to get at me…and boy is he ugly. He’s tall with broad shoulders and short cropped brown hair, his face covered in scales as his cold dead black eyes burned in to mine.

 

“I figured it was time to stop playing around with lookalikes and move on to the real thing,” the man stated grinning, “What better way to get your attention then go after the one you love? Although I must say, you are the first Crow I know of to ever find love again.”

 

“Well you got my attention,” I told him coldly, “Now let her go Mr.”

 

“You can call me Shane,” he replied as he pushed Buffy away from him.

 

She went back to her mom and hugged her quickly before placing herself between Shane and her. The Diamondback I saw from my vision was looking down at her, wrapped around a nearby set of monkey bars as Shane and I started circling each other. My hands flexed at my sides as I felt the change come over me and the Crow coming out.

 

Shane just smiled as he reached behind his back and pulled out a long wavy bladed dagger, a look of pure amazement crossing his face as I showed no concern over it in the slightest.

 

“You have no idea what I am or what this is do you?” Shane asked in disbelief.

 

“Not a clue. Care to enlighten me?”

 

“Sure,” Shane answered then leapt at me with a speed and agility similar to mine. He landed in front of me and swiped the dagger at me. Now I may not know what he is or what the deal is with that dagger, but suddenly every instinct in my body is telling me to avoid it at all costs.

 

We got in to a bit of a dance routine as I avoided the dagger and he tried to slice me up. Every move I made he countered, never giving me an opening for attack, but managing to give his fist one. His speed and agility weren’t just similar to mine…we are evenly matched including strength. Buffy looked on anxious to help, but Sis landed above her, stopping her with a glare and a few angry squawks.

 

“Using your bird to coral your girlfriend. Cute but not smart,” Shane joked with an evil grin covering his face as he reached in to his pocket and pulled out a butterfly knife, quickly flipping the blade up.

 

That knife I knew couldn’t hurt me.

 

“Little riddle for you, what happens to an angel that loses her wings?”

 

He turned and hurled the knife at Sis. She never got time to move before the knife embedded its self halfway in above her right wing.

 

“Aghhhh,” I cried out as I gripped my shoulder and fell to one knee. Pulling my hand back, I looked down to see blood…fresh blood. My shoulder actually hurt and showed no signs of healing.

 

“She falls,” Shane answered as he appeared in front of me and slashed me across the chest with the dagger.

 

I cried out again, only this time the wound appeared to be glowing red and leaking energy. Sis cried out too as Buffy ran to where she’d fallen, taking off her scarf and wrapping it around her.

 

“You now learned two important lessons about yourself,” Shane began as he knelt down in front of me, “The first I’m sure you already know, your bird is your lifeline. The keeper of your soul. But what you may not know is what happens to her happens to you and reverse. She dies and you become mortal, loosing all of your power. Second, this dagger can kill you even if you weren’t already weakened. I kill you with this and you don’t go to heaven…you cease to exist. Your soul lost forever to the void.”

 

I looked up at him, the Crow no longer showing as I glared at him despite the pain I was in and the fact that my vision was going blurry.

 

“Time for oblivion,” Shane declared, reaching back about to drive the dagger through my heart.

 

Faith miraculously showed up, thanks to Giles, tackling him to the ground and sending him rolling away from me. Shane got to his feet just as Faith came forward and delivered two fast punches to his jaw. He shook them off and delivered his fist to her stomach causing her to double over then followed it up with a boot to the side of her head, sending Faith staggering to the ground.

 

“The snake,” I choked out to Buffy.

 

“What?” she asked looking to me.

 

“Hit the snake.”

 

“Ewww,” she shrieked looking up at it.

 

“Buffy!”

 

Her hands shot up and grabbed the snake, slamming it down on to the ground and kicking it away from her. Shane groaned and coughed up a little blood as he turned a glare at me. If he has all my powers I’m willing to bet he has my weaknesses too.

 

Faith got to her feet and delivered a kick to his chest, sending him flying back before she ran over and knelt beside me.

 

“You’re a quick study,” Shane stated in an amused tone, “This is going to be more fun then I thought. Catch you latter.”

 

He quickly slithered away, along with his snake, in to the shadows and out of sight.

 

“Carmen?” Buffy asked worriedly as she cradled Sis against her chest. The red energy went back in to me as the wound slowly closed.

 

 _‘That’s all the juice I got left,’_ Sis said weakly.

 

“Get her to a vet. Now,” I ordered.

 

“Carmen,” Buffy repeated in a teary tone, as she stood up, Joyce wrapping an arm around her.

 

“I’m fine babe; jus going to pass out for a bit,” I told her jokingly, “Sis needs help more then me right now. If she goes…”

 

“I’ll take her to get help right now. Faith?”

 

“I’ll call the Scoobs and get her home,” Faith quickly answered Buffy’s unasked question, “I’ll stay with her till you get back.”

 

Buffy nodded then looked at me, a forced smile on her face before her and her mom left. Just in time to miss me falling in to Faith’s arms as the last of my strength left me.

 

***

 

A warm hand was caressing my cheek, the loving fearful thoughts I picked up from the simple touch bringing me awake. I opened my eyes and found myself looking up from my bed in to Buffy’s warm smiling face. She looked relieved and a bit sleep deprived.

 

“You look awful,” I teased.

 

“Look who’s talking Lady Death,” Buffy countered with a laugh.

 

I reached up with my right arm, cringing but continuing till I cupped her face, brushing my thumb across her cheek. Buffy closed her eyes and leaned in to my hand before pulling it away and placing a kiss to my palm then setting it hand back down.

 

“My shoulder still hurts,” I groaned, “Where’s Sis?”

 

Buffy looked next to me and I followed her eyes to see Sis, laying in a large bedded shoebox with a gauze pad placed over her wing and an ace bandage wrapped around her body. I reached out and stroked the top of her head, relieved to see her feathers flush.

 

“Still with me pest?”

 

I got no reply.

 

“She’s lost a lot of blood,” Buffy explained sadly, “At first the doctor didn’t even want to help her. I…I persuaded him to in the end.”

 

“You threatened him,” I translated with a grin.

 

“Anyway. He couldn’t go in and repair the damage with surgery, but an x-ray showed no organ damage or anything serious. So that’s good.”

 

“I hear another but coming.”

 

“But he says given the muscle damage and blood loss…She may never recover fully,” Buffy finished in a shaky tone.

 

“Which means I’m going to be at half strength for the rest of my time here,” I sighed, “Given Shane’s apparent determination to kill me that could be…ow!”

 

Buffy punched my sore shoulder and glared angrily at me with watery eyes.

 

“You think this is funny! You go around acting all invincible like and then when someone comes and shows you that you’re not…you gotta be funny about it! Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been about you?”

 

I pulled her down and rested her head on my chest, letting her cry in to my top as I ran a comforting hand up and down her back.

 

“I’m sorry babe,” I breathed, feeling like an asshole, “I may not be at a hundred percent but I’m still here and I’m not going anywhere.”

 

“You better not,” Buffy declared strongly, “You die on me and I’ll drag your ass back just so I can kill you myself.”

 

“Understood ma’am,” I replied warmly as we laid here in peace for a while longer till it was time to go out and plan our next move.

 

***

 

“I’m afraid my research has revealed some troubling news,” Giles began, taking a sip of the tea Joyce made before leaving once she found out I was okay.

 

“Worse then what we learned last night?” I asked with a scoff from my place on the couch.

 

“He’s a Snake,” he continued in the neutral tone he uses when about to explain something awful, “A Snake is a being created similar to a Crow. Only they are born in a moment of rage by a Crow. They are the souls of a person, usually one of the people responsible for the Crow’s death, brought back with all the same powers as you and the means to end your existence.”

 

“The dagger,” I sighed, “Just that wound made me feel like I was dying all over again.”

 

“The good news is it can also kill him,” Giles added in a brighter tone.

 

“So somehow I get the dagger away from a guy that has all my speed and strength and kill him with it before he can kill me. Sounds like a great plan.”

 

“Don’t make me hit you again,” Buffy warned from beside me.

 

“I’m afraid she does have a point, Buffy,” Giles conceded, though choosing to ignore my sarcasm, “Shane is very old and very powerful. He’s already dealt with the Crow that made him and exists now only to kill any Crow he finds.”

 

“But how did he find me?” I asked confused, “What’s he do, peruse through the obituaries the same way we do looking for vamps?”

 

“I believe he may have been told by the Mayor about you as a means to distract us while he makes preparations for his Ascension,” Giles answered.

 

The Mayor was going to become some big full blooded demon on Graduation, but he still had to make preparations in order to transform. We’ve been researching in order to find out what all that entails but haven’t had much luck so far. Guess he doesn’t know that and wants to kill two birds with one stone.

 

Not the best metaphor to use right now but it fits.

 

Take me out and keep Buffy and the others distracted. Now that’s a great plan when you think about it.

 

“Until we can locate Shane, I believe you should stay home and rest,” Giles continued in a fatherly tone, “Willow and I will look in to a way of healing your crow in order to restore your power.”

 

“I don’t have a say in the matter do I?” I asked Buffy with a knowing grin.

 

“Nope,” she answered simply.

 

Giles smiled softly at me before finishing his tea and excusing himself.

 

That left me and Buffy alone and while normally I would like nothing more then to take full advantage of that fact, in my current condition I was unable to. Buffy must have sensed this and just leaned in to my side, a contented look on her face as I wrapped my arm around her and held her close. I looked over at Sis worriedly as she just lay in her makeshift nest. If she didn’t get better soon we were in real trouble.

 

The way Shane reacted when Faith hit him…I doubt even with Buffy at her side they would be able to stop him. Like me he feels no real pain when hit or wounded. No matter what they hit him with he’ll just shake it off and keep coming. I’m the only hope we have of stopping him; so I need to be at full strength and with any luck I will be before he tries anything again.

 

***

 

Faith came over just before the sun went down the next day to get Buffy for patrol. Unfortunately Buffy was determined to stay by my side and refused to go with her. Thus Faith demonstrated her cunning mind and brought Willow and Giles over as back up. Buffy had no choice but to grudgingly get her coat, kiss me goodbye and storm out with a slightly worried Faith in tow.

 

“So how goes the search for a way to heal Sis?” I asked as I carefully brought her out and sat her down beside me on the couch. My strength had returned slightly. I no longer needed help moving around. But I was nowhere near ready to take on a vamp, much less a Snake.

 

“There are mystical powers at play when it comes to Crows,” Giles answered, “Sadly not much is known of the connection between the bird and the person and what is known isn’t very helpful.”

 

“Translation?” I asked looking to Willow.

 

“We don’t want to mix magic’s and make things worse,” Willow replied with a sad smile, “But we’re not going to stop looking for a way to help her.”

 

“I know, Will,” I smiled softly, looking down at the sleeping bird, “You know besides my grams, my sister was the only other person in my family to accept me and still talk to me. I was the big sister and she had to look out for me. Nicknaming this bird Sis…sometimes I feel like she is my sister, reincarnated and sent to continue looking out for me.”

 

Willow sat beside me and ran a hand up and down my arm soothingly as she smiled warmly at me. “We’re here for you too, you know. We’re the Scoobies and we look out for one another. Right?”

 

Giles sat down on the table and smiled a soft smile as he reached out and placed a hand on my knee, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Yes,” Giles agreed strongly, “You may have come to us a stranger, but now you are family and we take care of our family.”

 

“Wow,” I exclaimed, “That was very un-British of you.”

 

Giles laughed softly and so did Willow. It’s ironic that I had to die to get a real family but I’m not complaining. I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

 

Except Cordy and Wes. I can’t stand those two sometimes.

 

***

 

A few hours past with Giles sitting at the kitchen table reading a book while Willow and I sat on the couch talking about everything from her growing interest in magic, to her relationship with Oz. I don’t own a TV so all I do when Buffy’s not here to distract me or when I’m at the Bronze is work on my music or just stay perched on the roof till company comes. Buffy is trying to convince me to get one and a VCR just so we could snuggle on the couch and relax sometimes in front of a romantic movie. I told her I’d consider it if we watched something besides chic flicks.

 

Our peace was soon disturbed when the door shot open and Faith stumbled in, bruised and bleeding from above her left eye. Giles ran to help her as did I and together we got her to the couch.

 

“Shane…Shane attacked us,” Faith began in a choked tone, finding it difficult to talk or possibly breath, “He’s got B.”

 

I ran a hand over her face and down to her chest when my power kicked in. It was jumbled and not as clear as it usually is, but what I saw was Shane knocking Buffy out fast before beating on Faith. He kicked her repeatedly when she was down, busting up her ribs before leaning down over her, an evil grin on his face as he told her where to find him before she passed out.

 

“He wants me,” I told them through gritted teeth, “And if I don’t show up…he’ll do worse to Buffy.”

 

“I tried to stop him, C,” Faith said franticly, grabbing my upper arms and squeezing, “I swear I did it’s just…”

 

“It’s okay, Faith, relax,” I assured her, offering her a soothing smile, “I know you fought your hardest but he was just too strong. It’s okay, you just rest.”

 

Faith leaned back and closed her eyes and quickly fell unconscious. Willow stayed with her, trying to clean her up with a cool wet rag Giles handed her as I got up to get my coat from out of the bedroom. I slipped it on with a groan and headed for the door only to find Giles standing in front of it with his arms crossed.

 

“You can’t possibly be considering going after her?” he asked in disbelief.

 

“Not considering. I’m going.”

 

“You are no match for him in your current condition,” he argued, “I know you’re angry and want to save Buffy, and normally I wouldn’t stand in your way. But if you go and face him you will loose and you know it.”

 

“I know,” I whispered, offering him a warm smile as my voice took on a stronger tone, “But I’m still going. Now you can either move or be moved, which is still something I’m capable of.”

 

Giles closed his eyes and let out a long painful sigh before stepping out of the way. I nodded my head then turned to look at Willow as she stared worriedly at me.

 

“Take care of Faith…and Buffy in case,” I began closing my eyes and shaking my head, “One way or another I’m ending this tonight.”

 

“Carmen,” Willow breathed in a teary tone.

 

“Goodbye Willow,” I said warmly then turned and left my loft.

 

***

 

I arrived at the warehouse a good forty-five minutes later. It felt weird going in without Sis watching my back. I felt weird in general. Going in to this fight, I knew the Crow wouldn’t be able to come out. I was officially on my own as I entered the warehouse.

 

The inside was pretty bare with old wooden crates on the sides and trash littering the floor. It was lit by hanging florescent light fixtures. One of them hanging right above Buffy as she sat in a chair with Shane’s snake wrapped around her neck, its head rubbing against her chest with venomous fangs poised at the ready.

 

“Should I come back later?” I joked walking slowly deeper in to the warehouse, my eyes continuing to dart in to the shadows for any sign of Shane.

 

“You shouldn’t have come at all,” Buffy argued angrily.

 

“I’ll just be leaving then,” I said beginning to turn, only to get a kick to the chest that sent me rolling on the floor till I stopped in front of Buffy.

 

“Don’t say that, you just got here,” Shane laughed as I spat out some blood on to the floor, “Sorry. Did I do that?”

 

I slowly got up and wiped the corner of my mouth with the back of my sleeve as Shane grinned and pulled out an old fashion six-shooter from behind his coat and fired. The first bullet he fired tore in to my still healing right shoulder. The next one hit me in the left thigh, causing me to fall to my right knee.

 

“I was a very good, very lucrative bank robber back in the old days,” Shane declared, twirling the gun around like a true western gun fighter, “I had my own gang. One day we came across this little ranch. Me and my boys took our fill of their food, even the wife and daughter while the husband was forced to watch. After we had our fun, we killed them and burned the ranch down to the ground.”

 

“Let me guess, the father came back as a Crow and killed you and your men,” I groaned, holding my hands over the bleeding wound in my thigh.

 

“He tossed my men to the wolves,” he ground out angrily as he swiped my knee, sending me to my side before he delivered a kick to my stomach that knocked me on my back, “The wolves being the townsfolk we just robbed. They hung my men but he wanted me to suffer. For eight days that’s exactly what he dd. It was the first time in my life I actually begged for anything. His eyes burned as he cried out and drove my own hunting knife in to my heart.”

 

“Good for him,” I breathed smirking as I looked up at Shane. He smiled and laughed then drove his knee in to my bullet ridden thigh.

 

“I got mine in the end,” he continued as he pulled out the Snake Dagger, “I drove this through his heart in return and the hearts of every Crow I could find for over a hundred and fifty years now. Normally I like to play with them at the end but, you and I, we’ve had our fun. It’s time to end it.”

 

“Carmen,” Buffy breathed in a teary voice. I turned my head and smiled warmly at her.

 

“Friendly advice, Slayer, you’re going to want to close your eyes,” Shane advised as he raised his hand, aiming the dagger right at my heart.

 

Buffy reluctantly closed her eyes while I kept mine open, staring in to her face. If I was to die for good and fall in to nothingness…the last thing I wanted to see was her face.

 

 _‘Nothingness is not where you belong big sister,_ ’ Sis’ voice filled my head before a loud ‘Caw’ rang out in the warehouse. Buffy’s eyes shot open and looked up in to rafters at Sis.

 

Shane, realizing the tables were about to turn, quickly plunged the dagger down but my hand shot up and took hold of his wrist, stopping the dagger before it could even touch my shirt.

 

The crow was back in more ways then one.

 

My wounds closed, my strength returned and I could feel the Crow coming out.

 

“Your soul rots, it festers,” I said as I snapped his wrist, causing him to cry out and drop the dagger. I caught it in my other hand and flipped myself up, looking down at him, “But fear not for I have medicine.”

 

I delivered a fast kick that sent him skidding back and crashing in to a crate.

 

“Quoth the raven ‘Nevermore’, asshole,” I laughed spinning around to smile brightly at a surprised Buffy, “Honey, I’m back.”

 

“Snake,” Buffy choked out nervously as the rattler hissed, its fangs out and ready to strike. My hand shot out and took hold of the snake’s neck, squeezing it as I carefully removed it from around Buffy’s throat and held it up for Sis to see.

 

“Hungry?”

 

 _‘Too fatty,’_ Sis answered swooping down and landing on Buffy’s shoulder.

 

“Let’s see what I can do about that,” I offered, tossing the snake down. I bent over and grabbed a long rot iron bar from the floor then drove it down in to what I’m hopping is the snake’s stomach.

 

Shane cried out in pain then fell to his knees. Seems he was trying to sneak up on me, but thanks to Sis’ eyes I saw him coming. I turned and went to stand in front of him, spinning the dagger in my hand as I smiled evilly down at him.

 

“One crow sorrow, two crow joy” I began delivering a shallow cut with the dagger to his left cheek, then another to his right. Like me he bled energy but a yellowish green hue instead of red. “Three for a girl, four for a boy. Five for silver, six for gold. Seven for a secret that’s never been told.”

 

There were seven glowing cuts all over Shane as I knelt down in front of him, my grin dropping as I stared at him coldly. “I’m willing to bet there are more and not just Crows either. Hell is too good for you, Shane. Give my regards to oblivion.”

 

I drove the dagger in to his chest and dragged it straight down to his stomach, sending more yellow energy spilling out till it engulfed him. It soon began to fade and Shane disintegrated in to ash that blew away in to the shadows. His snake soon followed, going up like a roman candle until all that remained of either of them was the dagger in my hand.

 

Sis left Buffy and flew to me, landing on my shoulder and rubbing the side of her head against my cheek. I closed my eyes and smiled as I felt the Crow recede.

 

 _‘Nicely done,’_ Sis praised as she left my shoulder just as Buffy ran up and wrapped her arms around my waist from behind, burying her face in to my hair. I guess without that snake threatening to bite her if she tried to bust loose she was able to free herself from whatever restraints Shane had her in.

 

“You okay?” Buffy asked in a muffled voice.

 

“Better then ever,” I answered, turning around and bringing her eyes up to meet mine, “You?”

 

“I need a long hot shower but otherwise I’m good,” Buffy replied shuddering before turning to smile at Sis, “How about you bird?”

 

Sis flexed her wings and shook out her feathers, letting out a few quick squawks before looking over at us. _‘Good as new. Thanks to Faith.’_

 

“What did she do?” Buffy asked curiously.

 

 _‘You two may want to get back to the loft and see for yourselves,’_ Sis answered flying away, _‘Just for the record…it wasn’t my idea.’_

 

My interest was peaked as well as a growing knot of worry as Buffy looked to me and nodded. We made our way out of the warehouse and to my bike, slipping Shane’s dagger in to my inner pocket incase another Snake slithered its way in to our lives.

 

***

 

We made it back to the loft and found Faith lying on her back, her arms outstretched and candles around her that seemed to form a crow. Willow took one look at us and ran in to my arms shrieking.

 

“It worked! I can’t believe it actually worked,” she exclaimed excitedly.

 

“What worked Willow?” I asked pointedly as Buffy walked past us and knelt down next to Faith across from Giles who was checking her pulse.

 

“She volunteered,” Willow declared defensively, pulling away from me “Once I found a way to get Sis back up and flying she volunteered.”

 

“Volunteered for what Willow?” I asked in a louder, more demanding tone.

 

“An energy transfer,” Giles answered, “To be more precise…life energy.”

 

“What?” I shouted moving past Willow and kneeling at Faith’s head, placing it gently in my lap.

 

“We placed Sis in a smaller ring of candles and Faith here in a representation of her,” Willow began in a soft slightly pleading voice, “I spoke the spell and some of Faith’s life energy passed in to Sis, healing her rather quickly since she’s a Slayer. I barely finished the last invocation before she was shaking her bandage off and making for the open skylight.”

 

“And she actually volunteered?” Buffy breathed in disbelief.

 

“Yes she did,” Faith groaned as her eyes slowly opened up, a goofy grin crossing her face when she spotted me, “Hey C.”

 

“Hey F. How you feelin’?”

 

“Weak…sleepy,” Faith breathed, her eyes closing again, “Mind if I crash right here tonight?”

 

Buffy brought a pillow from the couch and handed it to me. I placed it under her head and laid it gently down on the floor.

 

“Not at all,” I answered warmly, leaning down and kissing her forehead, “Thank you, Faith.”

 

“No sweat C. Do anything for you and B…anything.”

 

I looked to Buffy curiously, but she just smiled down at Faith and kissed her hand before placing it on top of her chest then looked to Giles. The two quickly blew out the rest of the candles and scooped them up as Willow brought the blanket from the back of the couch and covered Faith up with it.

 

“You might have been ready to say goodbye but she wasn’t,” Willow said strongly looking up at me, “And neither was I.”

 

Faith must care a lot about me and Buffy to go through this.

 

What have I done to deserve such love?

 

“Thanks Willow,” I said helping her up and placing a kiss to her cheek.

 

“You’re welcome,” Willow replied, blushing as she held her cheek.

 

“How long is she going to be out?” Buffy asked a wicked gleam in her eye as she turned to look at me.

 

“Considering the only way she endured the ritual to begin with is because she’s the Slayer, I’d estimate she’ll be out all night and most of the morning,” Giles answered, “Why?”

 

Buffy said her thanks and hugged Willow then Giles then pushed them out the door. They managed to grab their coats and books and wave goodbye to me before Buffy slammed the door in their faces.

 

“Buffy?” I asked with a raised eyebrow as Sis cawed from the skylight, “I thought you needed a shower?”

 

“Change in plans. You watch her,” Buffy ordered pointing from Sis to Faith, “You, bedroom, clothes off and on the bed. Now!”

 

 

“Yes ma’am,” I replied turning and heading to the bedroom, dropping my coat and pulling off my top.

 

 

I must not have been moving fast enough for Buffy because she slapped my ass hard and pushed me along. Guess someone’s a little anxious to make up for lost time now that I got my strength back. I just hope it holds up against hers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

 

**Author's Note:**

> Snakes were introduced in the Crow tv series Stairway to Heaven. You can find them on YouTube. Thought introducing my own Snake to take on my Crow, show she's not as unstoppable as she appears, was fitting now and tied in to the Mayor plot.


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